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handgun

handgun

187 4.6
A small gun that you hold and fire with one hand
  • noun
  • /ˈhændˌɡʌn/
translation icon : pistola
  • The police found a handgun in the suspect's backpack during the investigation.
  • carry a handgun
  • own a handgun
  • a handgun permit

You don't need a handgun to order a cheeseburger.

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Examples

  • For some people and in some places, possession of a handgun may indeed be illegal.

    Academic text (2017)
  • There are now 40 states where qualified citizens can obtain such a handgun permit.

    Academic text (2007)
  • It's just a little handgun with one single bullet.

  • I mean if people ask me am IA good shot with a handgun, my honest answer is above average.

  • The arresting officer found a handgun in his glove box, brought him in.

  • You're pretty impressive with a handgun.

  • An upper shelf can be used to store handguns and ammunition.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The brothers flashed their handguns and promised to return the next day.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Tubbs pulls out a handgun from a drawer and checks to see if it's loaded.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Ruth could be seen wearing a small-caliber handgun strapped to her hip.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

pistol
vshandgun
268 2.1

A small gun you hold and fire with one hand

is the same idea but is the alternate common form
firearm
vshandgun
258 4.5

A gun a person can hold and fire by hand

is the narrower term for only small one-handed weapons
revolver
vshandgun
71 3.6

A small gun with a cylinder that holds several bullets so you can fire many times without reloading

is the broader class covering various firing mechanisms
semiautomatic pistol
vshandgun
  • Specialized
3 4.7

A small gun that reloads itself after each shot and fires one bullet each time you pull the trigger

is the basic small one-handed gun without naming the firing system
machine pistol
vshandgun
  • NSFW
3 7.8

A small automatic handgun that fires many bullets very quickly

is the broader small one-handed gun not requiring full automatic fire
automatic pistol
vshandgun
  • Specialized
2 5.1

A small gun that keeps firing while you hold the trigger and there are bullets

is the general small one-handed gun not defined by continuous fire
shooting iron
vshandgun
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A small gun like a pistol that you carry on your belt

is the neutral general word rather than an informal nickname
side arm
vshandgun
1 4.4

A small gun you hold and fire with one hand

is the general label for any small one-handed weapon
pistole
vshandgun
  • Archaic
9.9

A small gun that often appears in old stories

is the modern common word rather than an archaic form

How Powerful

handgun
187 4.6
air gun
1 3.1

Surface Forms

handgun singular
handguns plural

Morphology

handgun = hand + gun (transparent) = hand + gun

The word 'handgun' is transparently formed from 'hand' and 'gun', indicating a gun that can be operated with one hand.

Etymology

Handgun is a simple compound of hand and gun: hand is the body part you hold things with and gun is a weapon, so it literally means a 'gun' you can hold in one 'hand'. That's why a handgun is a small firearm made to be used with one hand.